The beginning of a new season is a nervous time for almost all LPGA Tour athletes. Most have plenty of thoughts rolling through their heads before hitting their first tee shots of the year, wondering if they made all the right offseason decisions.

Will the tweaks in their games help or hurt? How will they manage nerves? What are their expectations for the week?

From veterans to rookies, the first few weeks of a new year can vindicate hard work done during the offseason or help clarify what still needs to be worked on.

But, traditionally, the first step that indicates to a player that they’re on the right track is making cuts. Consistently making cuts and playing in high-pressure situations reassures that the right work was put in when no one was watching. But a player can’t consistently start making cuts without making the first one, and for most of this year's 21 LPGA Tour rookies, their first crack at playing the weekend came last week at the Founders Cup presented by U.S. Virgin Islands.

After a long journey on the Road to the LPGA, Madison Young was among the rookies making her debut as an LPGA Tour member in Bradenton, Fla. Before heading to the Tour, Young spent three years competing on the Epson Tour, putting together two solid seasons in 2022 and 2023 that saw her finish inside the top 60 in the Race for the Card standings. She got off to a strong start on the LPGA Tour last week, making it to the weekend in her first event as a member, similar to how she started her professional career on the Epson Tour in 2022.

“It feels pretty good,” said Young after making her first cut on the LPGA Tour. “It was touch-and-go there for a minute. But it's nice to fight back and prove that I can do it, so it feels good.”

Despite having two good years, according to her finishes in the 2022 and 2023 Race for the Card standings anyway, the Georgia native was still chasing her dream of getting her first professional win and moving on to the LPGA Tour in 2024, but she didn’t know how much longer she could keep going. The financial and mental struggles professional golfers go through are escalated at that level, as a player is often fighting for their career each and every week they tee it up. And for Young, the 2024 season felt like a make-or-break year in every aspect.

The Kennesaw State University alum saw her game trend upward in 2024, a much-needed sign that she indeed was right where she was meant to be. But Young had her sights set on the LPGA Card Ceremony, dreaming of hearing her name called up to the stage and moving on to the biggest tour in all of women’s golf.

That dream ultimately became a reality, as Young ended the 2024 season ranked ninth in the Race for the Card thanks to 13 cuts made in 18 starts and four top-10 finishes, which included her first professional victory at the Casino Del Sol Golf Classic. Young also found herself testing out the LPGA waters over the summer, qualifying for and competing at the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally, an important learning experience despite her week ending early with a missed cut.

“It means a lot. It means everything,” said Young after earning her LPGA Tour card in October. “We have been through so much, so I'm really excited to finally have done it. I didn’t know if I ever would, but I knew I could. I didn't know if it would ever actually happen, but I'm happy that it did.”

Through the highs and lows, the 27-year-old has gained plenty of perspective and is bringing that into the 2025 LPGA season. And it’s those lessons, along with her talent, that should help her play freely and hopefully retain her LPGA Tour card for 2026.

“I have been very close to throwing up several times this week, so,” joked Young last week at the Founders Cup. “But I know how to handle that. I've been on the Epson Tour, and I've played the U.S. (Women’s) Open (presented by Ally) now, and then I've also won, so it's just allowing the nerves to be there and just, you know, playing golf.”

The Founders Cup presented by U.S. Virgin Islands was only the beginning for Young, the start of a long season that will test her game and make her work to continue competing among the best in the world. And starting off with a made cut and putting $5,000 in her pocket was just what the Epson Tour graduate needed to fuel the fire that’s already there.

“It feels great,” said Young after making the cut on Friday. “It's been a long time coming and a lot of money sacrificed. And it's surreal, but it's great. It's nice to finally be here.

“My goals have been to just stay patient and trust my process, and I haven't been hitting it my best, but still tried to fight through it. And I'm definitely achieving what I would like to. But obviously, I want more.”

The LPGA Tour heads to Thailand next, from February 20-23, for the Honda LPGA Thailand. A limited field of 72 athletes means that Young will have to wait a bit to tee it up again, with her next scheduled appearance set for the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass from March 27-30 in Chandler, Ariz., one that she will now be ready for after a positive season debut at the Founders Cup.

Epson Tour Grad Madison Young Makes First Cut in First Start as LPGA Member at Founders Cup

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